The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I would like to begin this review with a short summary of the charges against the Power Gamer, aka "Munchkin," and propose an experimental course of therapy.

1. The Munchkin prefers combat to all other forms of problem-solving. 2. The Munchkin neglects character development in favor of chart and number crunching to enhance his character's combat abilities. 3. The Munchkin is more concerned with tactical expertise than "artsy-fartsy" narrative-centered role-playing. 4. The Munchkin "Lives by the Dice, and Dies by the Dice."

Now, given the conventional wisdom circulating in the post-WoD role-playing community, one would think that these Munchkins would be much better served by playing Spacecraft, Doom, or Quake. However, said conventional wisdom overlooks a core facet of the Munchkin's personality: an inherent need for social interaction and a connection with his/her fellow gamers. Now, you may disagree with this conclusion, but the fact is that yelling "Boo-yah! Eat Natural Twenty, Sucka!" is not nearly as satisfying when shouted at a defenseless CRT device.

This brings us to my proposed therapy for those lonely Munchkins who are longing for a meaningful, combat-centered gaming relationship: Traditional Wargaming, and lots of it! At this point, you are probably thinking, "The dude already plays Warhammer 40K, but it doesn't seem to have helped any." This is because games like WH40K simply don't supply the quantity of simulationist minutia that a serious Munchkin needs. Which brings me to my primary criteria for successful therapy: Charts and Tables; and lots of 'em!

I have selected the Advanced Squad Leader system as the perfect form of Munchkin diversion therapy. Originally released by Avalon Hill, but now well-supported by Multiman Publishing, ASL is a squad and company level wargame of WWII combined arms combat. The initial rules contain 115 pages and 4 foldout chart-covered chapter dividers consisting of Chapters A (Infantry Combat), B (Terrain), C (Ordnance), and D (Vehicular Combat). The rules are clearly written, yet dense with rules (and charts) to cover every possible occasion, from setting fires, to dropping entire city blocks on your opponents.

The game is played on a series of beautifully rendered geomorphic mapboards which represent urban, desert or typical European rural terrain. The basic playing pieces are cardboard counters representing a squad or fire team of soldiers, individual leaders, support weapons, or individual combat vehicles. Each counter is covered with the given unit's game information, which is also summarized (for vehicles and ordnance anyway) in Chapter H of the rulebook.

The two greatest factors affecting combat are firepower and morale. It is not uncommon to find that your troops melt away under fire without taking any KIA results on the combat results table. Armored combat is swift and deadly, yet reflects the unique characteristics of each combat vehicles in the war, including the relatively obscure ones that only veterans and professional historians know much about.

Each major combatant nation of WWII has been covered in ASL. The Germans and Russians are featured in "Beyond Valor," the first ASL module, and the only nationality-based module I will cover in depth. The quality of the counters is excellent. Each vehicle is depicted as viewed from the top, giving a good guide as to facing. The counters effectively cover the entire order of battle for both nations. The four mapboards are beautiful, featuring urban terrain, including rowhouses, factories, and a canal. There are 10 scenarios, including a tight little firefight in the Warsaw Ghetto, and a surprisingly lopsided duel between German and Russian armored cars during the first days of Operation Barbarossa.

The other type of module I want to cover is the Historical Module. Best represented by "Red Barricades, the Historical Modules use larger maps specifically designed to accurately represent a historical battlefield, in this case, a huge factory complex in Stalingrad. Here rules are given to playing a multi-scenario campaign, using hundreds of counters. This is not to say that the other scenarios are not historical. In fact, the sheer scale of research reflected in all the rules and scenarios is immense.

In short, ASL is a perfect mix of detail and firepower for the most jaded Power Gamer. Who needs a 4 Vorpal, Holy-Avenging Blade of Sharpness when you control a platoon of German Tiger tanks supported by a company of assault engineers armed with flamethrowers, Panzerfaust, and demolition charges?